Collapsible Teepee Fire Tripod Support

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a wood fire support device comprising a plurality of hingeable members forming a tripod such that firewood can be supported in a teepee configuration. The device comprises at least three elongate members connecting to a common disk, the disk having apertures to accept the members therethrough. The disk separates the members into an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion supporting leaning firewood placed thereagainst and the lower portion positioned on a ground surface to support the assembly. Along the members and just above and below the disk connection is a larger diameter stop that prevents dislodgment of the members from the disk. The members are loosely positioned within the disk apertures to allow the members to hinge therefrom, permitting the tripod to be setup in a number of different base widths and further allowing the members to collapse against one another in a stowed state.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/536,314 filed on Sep. 19, 2011, entitled “Teepee Fire.” The aboveidentified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wood fires and camp fires. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a support for firewoodthat allows the wood to be positioned in a teepee configuration tofacilitate ready ignition and stable burning as the wood is consumed.

Outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and enjoying outdoor firepits are enjoyable recreational activities. When setting up camp orpreparing a fire pit, a plurality of logs is generally gathered withinan area and ignited using an ignition source. Establishing andinitiating a fire of this type requires three primary aspects: thecombustible material, oxygen and an ignition source. When igniting slowburning materials such as wooden logs, a starter fire using kindling orsimilar starter material is required to heat and ignite the wooden logs.Direct application of an ignition source, such as a match or lighter, isgenerally insufficient to ignite larger logs that burn more slowly thansmaller tinder, branches and kindling. In building a campfire, it isunderstood that these principles need to be appreciated to initiate thefire and ignite the wood for a larger, long-burning fire.

Common campfire structures include log cabin campfires, teepee stylecampfires and top down campfires. These structures provide a stacking offirewood in such a way that kindling material is incorporated into thestructure while adequate airflow therethrough is observed. Log cabincampfires utilize a series of logs that establish a square perimeteraround an open central region. Opposing logs in parallel are stacked,and then orthogonal logs are stack thereover in an upward, stackingdirection. This configuration can become very tall and rather unstable,particularly as the fire burns the wood and the wood loses itsstructural integrity. This can lead to tipping of the cabin and dangerto nearby individuals. This is similarly true to top down campfires,which are tapered in the upward direction. Teepee campfires, bycontrast, provide a stable, three-legged configuration with a large openinterior section to allow for starting material and air flow. This finalconfiguration is both quickly igniting and a stable configuration as thelogs burn. The only issue related to this type of campfire is its setup,which requires logs to be leaned against one another in a triangularfashion. Establishing a balanced teepee fire can therefore be difficultfor some individuals

The present invention provides a tripod support device for setting upand maintaining the shape of teepee wood fires. The device comprises aplurality of elongated rod members hingeably attached to a central diskthat accepts each member therethrough. Below the disk are the rod memberlower portions, which extend towards the ground surface, while above thedisk the rod members continue and extend laterally outward, providingupper supports for wooden logs leaned thereagainst. The rods are free torotate about their connection through the central disk, allowing thetripod to expand outward, contract inward or condense together into astowed state for improved transport and storage.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to fireplaceand wood fire support devices. These include devices that have beenpatented and published in patent application publications, and generallyrelate to static structures and supports for fireplace and wood fireconfigurations that do not lend themselves well to travel use or forcreating a stable teepee firewood arrangement. The forgoing is a list ofdevices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are hereindescribed for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating theunique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting thedrawbacks existing in the prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,295 to Gerrard is one such device that discloses afireplace rack for use with paper-wrapped, compressed fire logs inconjunction with artificial logs in a residential fireplace. An upperframe supports the artificial logs while a lower frame supports thepaper-wrapped fire logs, providing an upper portion for viewing of theartificial logs and an underlying portion for burning combustible logsfor the creation of fire in the fireplace. Laterally disposed memberssupport the wood and synthetic firewood in a horizontal and stackedconfiguration, where each log is placed on top of another in a stackedformation. This formation, and the structure of the Gerrard device, doesnot lend itself well for use in outdoor, naturally igniting fires thatrequire larger logs to be ignited without a starter log. The presentinvention provides a support for a teepee firewood construction, whichprovides an interior region for kindling and a stable configuration forthe wood as it burns. While both are log supports, the structure andintent of the present invention differ from that of the Gerrard device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,849 to Endres is another such device that disclosesan apparatus for use in cooking over an open fire. The device apparatuscomprises a tripod having a suspended grill thereunder that is adaptedto be held over an open flame. The height of the grill over the fire isadjustable within the tripod interior to account for the firetemperature and intensity with respect to burning or undercooking thefood on the grill surface. The tripod comprises three leaning membersthat form a union at their upper ends, while the grill is adjustablysupported using suspension elements attached to each tripod member. TheEndres device, while disclosing a tripod related to open fires, isadapted for supporting food rather than supporting the elements makingthe underlying fire. Tripod firewood arrangements are very efficient forlighting and stable burning, the present invention provides a support tosituation and support such an arrangement while preparing a fireplace.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 366,833 to Hipwell discloses a device verysimilar to the Endres device, wherein a tripod having three supportingrods is engaged into a common disk at their upper end. The disk includesa plurality of slots to accept each rod and allow the rods to besituated in a traditional tripod configuration, extending outward anddownward therefrom to the ground surface. The disk may include a lowerattachment for supporting a cooking surface within the interior of thetripod. Similar to the Endres device, the Hipwell device discloses acooking tool. The present invention provides a lower tripod region andan upper, outwardly extending region. The lower region includes severalmembers extending from the ground surface and into a common upperjunction, whereafter the members extend laterally outward for support offirewood thereagainst in a teepee configuration. The interior of thesupport creates room within the teepee firewood structure for kindlingand fire-starting material.

U.S. Published Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0000476 to Klevediscloses a log supporting and guiding apparatus that is adapted tosupport fire logs in an open configuration to allow sufficient air flowand ignition. The device comprises a base, a plurality of upper bars andconnecting members therebetween. The base includes outward projectionsand log retaining elements, while the upper bars for C-sections forsupporting logs in an upright configuration. The device of Kleve isadapted to be placed within an indoor fireplace for supporting firelogs. Its structure is one of welded or unitary design and significantsize. The present invention is adapted for travel use and for useoutdoors, and specifically for use in creating a teepee configurationfor rapid and stable firewood combustion.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,713 to Kleve discloses a log supportingapparatus that provides a teepee configuration for the logs. Threeangular leg members span between an upper bracket and a lower bracket.The lower bracket is a continuous structure adapted to rest just abovethe ground surface, while the upper member joints the interior portionsof each leg member. Pins connect the upper and lower bracket to theangular members, which are spaced evenly about the center of the device.Logs are rested on the lower bracket and leaned inward against the upperbracket to form a teepee configuration. While this Kleve devicerepresents a structure for creating a teepee log fire, the elementsdiverge substantially from those of the present invention. The presentinvention allows the tripod members to be connected only at an upperportion, allowing their placement on the ground surface to dictate thebase width of the teepee. Further, the present invention provides for astowable structure and one that is readily deployable while outdoors,camping and hiking, which is prohibitive with the Kleve structure.

The present invention provides a collapsible and readily transportablefirewood support that allows wood to be leaned thereagainst oncedeployed, establishing a stable teepee wood fire structure. The devicecomprises a plurality of elongated members having an upper and lowerportion and connecting through a supported by a common disk member thatallows the members to be positioned in a teepee configuration of varyingwidth. It is submitted that the present invention substantially divergesin design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear thatthere is a need in the art for an improvement to existing firewood andcampfire support devices. In this regard the instant inventionsubstantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types offirewood supports now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a new transportable teepee wood fire support that can beutilized for providing convenience for the user when building a stableteepee wood fire with minimal setup time.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved firewood support device that has all of the advantages of theprior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a firewoodsupport device that provides a stable structure upon which to leadfirewood in a teepee style configuration, wherein the logs are angledinward toward a common apex and a space is presented thereunder forplacement of fire-starting and kindling material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a firewood supportthat is collapsible and readily transportable, providing a means tosupport a fire in a teepee configuration when camping or traveling to acampground or fire pit location.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a firewoodsupport that is of simple construction, and one that allows readyadjustment of the teepee configuration by manipulation of the structuremembers with respect to the ground surface.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention and a close upview of the central disk.

FIG. 2 shows the present invention in a collapsed and stowed state.

FIG. 3 shows a view of the present invention in a working state,supporting firewood in a teepee configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the teepee firewood support device. For the purposes ofpresenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, thepreferred embodiment will be discussed as used for supporting firewoodin a teepee configuration and providing a collapsible, readilytransportable device for use while camping or outdoors. The figures areintended for representative purposes only and should not be consideredto be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of thepresent invention in a deployed state. The device comprises a tripodsupport 11 having at least three elongated member 12 connecting to acommon and centralized disk 14 at the apex of the tripod. The disk 14accepts the elongated members 12 through its section via a plurality ofspace apertures 16 thereon, whereby the members 12 are looselypositioned within the apertures 16 and free to rotate about theirconnection to the disk 14. The disk separates the members 12 into alower portion below the disk and an upper portion 13. The distal end 15of the lower portion extends to a ground surface and supports theassembly 11, while the upper portion 13 is an angled member or nonlinearupper portion that extends outward from the disk 14 at a knee in themember. The upper portion 13 is adapted to extend outward and provide aplatform to rest firewood thereagainst when building a teepee wood firestructure. The lower portion of each member is positioned against theground and defines an open interior portion under the disk 14, wherebyfirewood is tilted inward and supported by the members and the interiorportion makes room for fire starting material and a means to providesufficient air flow to the fire.

The members 12 are secured to the central disk via a bump-out or notch17 along the members 12 above and below the disk, whereby the members 12are prevented from being pulled through the disk aperturesinadvertently. The width or diameter of the members 12 is sufficientlyless than each aperture 16 diameter, allow the members to be looselypositioned therein and allow the members to be rotated inward andoutward with relative freedom of movement. This allows the tripod base,the height of the tripod and the interior volume below the disk to bedictated by the spacing between the members 12 during setup of thestructure 11.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a view of the tripod supportdevice 11 of the present invention in a collapsed and stowed state. Inthis state, the members 12 are aligned with one another to collapse thetripod configuration and provide a structure that has improvedtransportability and stowability. The disk remains in connection witheach member 12, while the members are collapsed together to fit into abag, carry-all or simply stored in a more efficient configuration whennot in use. The loose tolerance between the disk apertures and the widthor diameter of the members 12 allows the members to freely hinge orrotated from their connection with the disk, while the notch supports 17along each member retain the connectivity between the two elements evenwhen collapsed.

The FIGS. 1 and 2 show the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, which contemplates elongated, cylindrical members having anangled upper portion. Along with this embodiment, it is contemplatedthat the members may be manufactured and provided in a number ofconfigurations, including different materials, dimensions and crosssections. The primary requirement is the ability to withstand theintense heat associated with a campfire or fireplace, while secondaryconsiderations are the overall weight of the assembly and itsmanufacturing considerations. A further embodiment of the presentinvention is contemplated where the knee between the lateral upperportion and the linear portion of the members is adjustable using ahinge joint. The use of a hinge joint adds complexity, but allows theassembly to collapse into a completely linear configuration,facilitating storage.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown view of the present invention ina working state, supporting firewood in a teepee configuration. Theteepee configuration is such that firewood is placed on the ground andangled inward against the tripod 11, providing a stable configurationand facilitates air flow therethrough into an interior space forstarting material under the larger firewood. The tripod is quicklysetup, whereafter logs can be gathered and placed against the members 12and kindling or starter material can be placed under the tripod. Thetripod is adapted to stay positioned within the fire as the wood burns,preventing ready collapse of the firewood as it loses its structure inthe fire. After the fire has been extinguished, the tripod cools and canbe stowed or reused as desired.

A teepee fire is the ideal type of fire to build for quick starting acampfire, as it allows for quick lighting of kindling material, greatairflow into the fire and intense heat development. However, these firesare difficult to construct and further difficult to support as the wooddeteriorates in the fire. The wood has a tendency to fall into the fireas it loses structure, creating a risk of burns, excessive smoke outputand airborne burning embers. It is also difficult to reposition the woodand replenish the supply on the fire when needed. The present inventionis designed to assist creating a teepee firewood structure andsupporting it while it burns. The device provides a compact and readilydeployable assembly that can be placed in the center of a fire ring orwood burning fireplace. The device provides a support with a tripoddesign for keeping the wood in an ideal and stable position. The designis collapsible for transport outdoors or for efficient storage. Idealmaterials include high temperature resistant iron and other metallicmaterials.

It is submitted that the instant invention has been shown and describedin what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A teepee firewood support device, comprising: at least threeelongated members connecting to a common disk; said disk havingapertures to accept each member therethrough; said members beingpivotable about said disk apertures; said members having an upperportion above said disk and a lower portion below said disk, said upperportion angling outward. 2) The device of claim 1, wherein said memberlower portions are adapted to be placed onto a ground surface in atripod configuration, provide an open volume under said disk. 3) Thedevice of claim 1, wherein: said member lower portions are adapted to beplaced onto a ground surface in a tripod configuration, provide an openvolume under said disk; said member upper portion extending outward fromsaid disk; fire log material adapted to be rested against said memberlower portions and supported by said member upper portion in a teepeeconfiguration. 4) The device of claim 1, wherein said members furthercomprising a first and second notch above and below said disk to preventsaid members from pulling through said disk apertures. 5) The device ofclaim 1, wherein said member width or diameter is less than saidaperture diameter, allowing a loose connection therebetween that allowspivoting of said members with respect to said disk apertures. 6) Thedevice of claim 1, wherein member upper portions further comprise ahinge joint that permits selective angling outward.